Roasted Pork Shoulder with Fennel & Broccoli Rabe

Eating pork on New Year’s Day is said to bring good luck, so set yourself up for a successful year and make this meaty meal from chef Tiffani Faison. The BBQ master rubs her pork with a spice mixture, roasts it on high heat for that good, crispy sear and then adds in chicken broth, garlic cloves, Italian dressing and thyme before popping it back into the oven for a low and slow bake. Follow Faison’s recipe and three and a half hours later, you’ll have super moist shredded pork that’s delicious all on its own or in a sandwich.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons onion powder
1/4 cup ground fennel seeds
1/4 cup ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons kosher salt
10 pounds boneless pork shoulder, tied with cooking twine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 quarts chicken broth
10 cloves garlic, crushed
1 22-ounce bottle Italian salad dressing
3-4 springs fresh thyme
4 heads fennel, cut into eighths with the core removed
2 pounds broccoli rabe

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Mix the onion powder, fennel seeds, peppers, and salt in a small bowl. Dry off the pork with a paper towel, and rub with olive oil.
Rub the pork with the spice mixture and place on a roasting pan with a wire rack, with the fattiest part of the pork facing up. Put it in the hot oven, and roast at 450° F until it’s golden brown (about 20-30 minutes), then remove it from oven.
Add the chicken broth, garlic cloves, Italian dressing and thyme to the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with aluminum foil.
Lower the oven temp to 275° F, put the pork back in and roast it, covered, for 3.5 hours.
Carefully uncover the roast and add the fresh fennel and broccoli rabe to the bottom of the pan, resting it in the juices. Re-cover the pan with foil and roast for another 45-60 minutes, or until the pork is fork-tender.
Let it rest for at least 30 minutes before shredding with two forks. Add as much of the broth as you like back into the shredded pork to keep it moist.